Lecky Watson

That Cheltenham win sits at the heart of everything interesting about Lecky Watson. His overall record reads four wins from 19 races, which works out at roughly 1 in every 5 — a respectable clip for any horse, but the quality of what he has won matters more than the quantity. He has run three times at the very top level and won one of them, which tells you this is a horse that travels upward rather than sideways. Jockey Sean O'Keeffe, who partners him most regularly — 1 win from 6 races together — rode him at Cheltenham on a simple brief: go wide, stay out of trouble. It was, by all accounts, exactly that.

One of the most telling numbers in his profile is what happens when the ground is wet and muddy. On soft or heavy ground, Lecky Watson has won 2 of his 6 races — a 33% win rate that doubles his overall average. Mullins has spoken about him as a strong stayer over three miles who jumps and gallops, and fences have brought out the best of him. Those are the ingredients of a horse built for the grind of a long winter season and a proper test of ground.

The recent form — no wins in his last six races — raises a question worth asking. His last victory was over 13 months ago. But context matters here: he raced just yesterday, so he is very much an active horse, and Mullins has spoken warmly about him continuing to improve, with the John Durkan at Punchestown mooted as a possible starting point this season. The Grand National is also on the table if the Gold Cup proves a step too far. Either way, a yard that has sent out 230 winners this season does not run out of options. Lecky Watson, it seems, is just getting started.